Disneyland

Haunted Mansion: Music

The song that runs through the Haunted Mansion is called "Grim Grinning Ghosts (The Screaming Song)" It was written by Francis Xavier Atencio (who preferred to be called "Fxa"), and although it fits the mansion's mood nicely it really doesn't make much sense. DisneyLies.com was unable to get an authorized copy of the lyrics from Disney, but they are clear enough that we were able to transcribe them during several trips through the mansion.

The lyrics sound like something translated from English into Japanese and back again. Obviously, Atencio had a good handle on what sounded good when sung by ghosts, but he also had some kind of obsession with ghostly eyes and as much regard for intelligibility as a character from Through the Looking Glass.

Important Note: We have been innundated with e-mails containing "corrections" to the below lyrics, many of them citing their "nonsense" quality as proof of their inaccuracy. We ask readers to remember that these are not modern lyrics. They were written many years ago when songs like "Mairzy Doats" and "The Hut Sut Song" were popular -- songs that, even if they did sound perfectly reasonable at time, were in fact made almost completely of nonsese words. If you don't believe us, ask your grandparents or the Library of Congress. "Grim Grinning Ghosts" shows the obvious influence of its time, and after thousands upon thousands of hours of research we can say without a doubt in our minds that the below lyrics are as accurate as anyting on this site.

Grim Grinning Ghosts

When the creep doors creak
At a tomb's own wake
Pooks come out for a sing awake
Harpy haunts material eyes
And be in two vocal eyes
Grin-grinning ghosts come out to social eyes

Now don't clothe your eyes
And don't try to hide
Or a silky spook may sit by or slide
Shrouded in a death's disguise
They intend to tear your eyes
Grin-grinning ghosts come out to social eyes

As a goon climbs high o'er a dead old tree
Spooks alive for the midnight's pree
Creepy creeps with hairy eyes
Startle, shriek, and harm on eyes
Grin-grinning ghosts come out to social eyes

When you hear a Nell off a requiem belle
Weirdoes gleam were spiritsed well
Restless bones with their real eyes
Rise as spooks offer resize
Grin-grinning ghosts come out to social eyes